The U.S. State Department says it is still aiming to reach an
Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement by the end of this year, but it has
downplayed expectations of quick progress.

State Department
spokesman Sean McCormack made the comments Wednesday ahead of talks
between U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and top Israeli and
Palestinian negotiators in Washington.

Rice is due to hold a
three-way meeting with Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and
Palestinian negotiator Ahmed Qureia on advancing the peace process.
She met Tuesday with senior Israeli and Palestinian officials in
preparation for the meeting.

Tuesday, McCormack said with
less than six months left in office, Rice's goal is to push hard for
the two sides to settle on a peace plan, and for progress on their
obligations with the so-called 'road map' for Middle East peace.

McCormack said, if necessary, she will hand off a viable peace process to the next U.S. administration.

Israeli
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas
restarted peace talks last November with the goal of reaching a deal by
the end of 2008.

In other news Wednesday, thousands of
Palestinians gathered in the West Bank for the funeral of a Palestinian
boy whom medics say was shot and killed by Israeli troops Tuesday.
Palestinian officials say an autopsy shows the boy was hit with live
fire during a protest against an extension of Israel's controversial
West Bank security barrier.